2011 no cakewalk for Red Bull - Heidfeld
By Motorsport.com/GMM
Nick Heidfeld is sure Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel will not walk away with the 2011 world championship.
The reigning champions enjoyed a dominant start to the season but German Heidfeld, who drives for Renault, has been particularly impressed with the improvements of the McLaren team.
"After the first races some people said it was going to be a walkover for Sebastian and Red Bull," he said in an interview with German broadcaster RTL.
"But if you look back on the past few years, something like that is really very rare. Particularly McLaren in recent years have often started a bit behind and then moved forward quite rapidly," added Heidfeld.
After the first races some people said it was going to be a walkover
Indeed, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton won with a superior tyre strategy in China three weeks ago, although insiders expect Red Bull to shine this weekend in Turkey.
Heidfeld said of McLaren: "If they have the development pace they've had in previous years, they will be a very serious challenger. And I hope that some other teams and us (Renault) as well can also be at the very front."
In a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, McLaren's chief engineer Phil Prew admitted the gap separating Red Bull's RB7 from the MP4-26 is up to five tenths per lap.
Share Or Save This Story
Ferrari’s Vigna on Vasseur and fake news: “There is only one reality”
Lewis Hamilton labels Sepang qualifying as "best lap" of his 2026 F1 season
Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur recall GP2 title and 'most impressive race ever', 20 years on
Max Verstappen responds to George Russell: "Maybe I should take him to the sauna!"
From "paper car" to pole in Malaysia – What's behind Max Verstappen and Red Bull's pace?
The hidden F1 performance differentiator nobody is talking about in 2026
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi
Ferrari’s Vigna on Vasseur and fake news: “There is only one reality”
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Max Verstappen responds to George Russell: "Maybe I should take him to the sauna!"
You Ask The Questions: Emerson Fittipaldi
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
How drivers waiting in the wings can still make their presence count in F1
What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments